Shloka 12
Kāla-vañcana (Overcoming/Outwitting Time) and the Pañcabhūta Basis of the Body
शंकर उवाच । न हन्यते देववरैस्तु दैत्यैस्सयक्षरक्षोरगमानुषैश्च । ये योगिनो ध्यानपरास्सदेहा भवंति ते घ्नंति सुखेन कालम्
śaṃkara uvāca | na hanyate devavaraistu daityaissayakṣarakṣoragamānuṣaiśca | ye yogino dhyānaparāssadehā bhavaṃti te ghnaṃti sukhena kālam
シャンカラは言った。「身に宿りつつも常に禅定（ディヤーナ）に専心するヨーギーたちは、最勝の神々にも、ダイティヤにも、ヤクシャにも、ラークシャサにも、蛇にも、人にも殺されない。彼らは容易にカーラ――時と死そのもの――を打ち克つ。」
Lord Shiva (Shankara)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: Kāla (Death/Time) personified as the ultimate adversary, declared conquerable by yogic dhyāna.
FAQs
It teaches that unwavering dhyāna on Shiva (Pati) loosens the bonds (pāśa) that make the embodied soul (paśu) fear death; such a yogin becomes inwardly established beyond external harm and even the tyranny of kāla.
Meditation on Saguna Shiva—often supported by Linga worship—steadies the mind in one-pointed remembrance; that sustained absorption is portrayed as a spiritual shield, culminating in mastery over fear and the sense of mortality.
A clear takeaway is daily dhyāna with japa of Shiva’s mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), supported by Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and remembrance.